St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1887-04-17
FROM SHOP AND MILL.
The Workingmen Want the Day Made of
Eight Hours as Matter Of -
Principle.
They Urge That the Short Day Will Make
Places for Those Who Are
Idle.
The CITY of Minneapolis Asked to Set
An Example, Which Others
May Follow.
Resolutions by the Minneapolis Labor
AssembIy--Notes From Var
ious Trades.

The motive the workingmen of Mime
apolis have in urging that the city shall fix
eight hours as the standard days work is
not merely matter of dollars and cents,
but of principle. They believe that benefit
is to come from reduction of the hours OF
labor, that places will be made for those
who are idle, and that consumption will
thus be increased. 1t the city can be in
duced to take the lead, contractors
and other employers can be induced to fol-
low. This is the reason that the city is
asked to set the example, and the argu-
ments which are brought forth to show that
the reduction of hours of labor is to burden
the taxpayer are fallacious. Of course it
will cost the city trifle more at present,
and men can be found who would rather
work ten hours to make few cents
more. Some of them would
work eighteen hours if they got the chance.
and thereby deprive another man of eight
hours work. 1t is the general good Of the
public that is concerned, not merely the
condition of the hewerS of wood and
drawers of water.
~
The workingmen have waited patiently,
and now for the first time. because the
council is Democratic, there seems to be a
chance for victory. Ii not, the working
men can wait until election comes again.
The aldermen might as well make up
| their minds that reduction of the hours Of
labor is bound to come, and that to-day
will do as well as tomorrow. If the nine
hour system suggested by Aid. Morse is
adopted some progress will have been made.
1t is but a temporary compromise. at the
most, which is better than nothing. Per-
haps it will serve to show the public that
financial ruin is not going to result if the
labOrers on the streets do not work from
the rising to the setting of the sun.
Perhaps, too, if some of the aldermen who
are so extremely anxious for the welfare OF
the dear taxpayers should exhibit the same
carefulness in the expenditure of public
moneys that they manifest whenever any
movement comes up for the benefit of the
wOrkingmen, great deal of expense to the
city in Improvements lefty hall repairs for
instance) might be saved.
*x*
AS to the movement among the trades 1t
is stated that the demand to be made by the
painters, carpenters, plaSterers, StOnema-
sons, etc., will be for a reduction to nine
hours. This is a concession which the city
should not ask, however. individuals,
contractors or manufacturers will eXDe
rience some expense and difficulty in allow
ing their men to work an hour less each
day. In cases where contracts have been
made upon basis of ten hourss work the
proposed reduction will amount to hard
ship. This is not the case with the city,
which employs largely men who receive
less wages, and the additional expense will
be very little when distributed among the
thousands OF taxpayers. There seems to
be no reason why the aldermen should not
be willing to at least try the experiment.